Dare You To Move
by Sukiya62
Summary: After being threatened by Easter and being forced to sign a contract, Amu now works for the enemy. Ikuto, now free from the shackles Easter had placed on him, left without a word. 5 years have passed and now Amu has the same chains placed on her that once held Ikuto. She has changed for the worse, and so have her charas. She is completely submerged in the darkness with no way out.
1. Welcome to Existence

**Hey guys. So... I've decided to rewrite this. It's really bugging me how amateurish this is and I hate it. The plotline got completely lost and I'm just not feeling it anymore... so I'm hoping to salvage this idea and make it better for you guys. Please bare with me here. Anyway, here's the new and improved first chapter of the newly dubbed _Dare You To Move_. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

**Welcome to Existence**

Amu sighed to herself as she walked down the streets of Tokyo, slowly making her way to Easter's main building, her charas floating beside her, all with an X over their charms. They had all changed in appearance and attitude. Suu now had chocolate brown hair and deep purple eyes. Her dress now matched her new eye color and the apron, gloves, shoes, and hairpiece she wore are now colored black. Dia's appearance is the same as it was when she was with Utau. Miki's looks didn't change much. Her hair is black and the spade she wears on her hat is black, and her hat and bag are a darker shade of blue. Ran now has crimson red hair, a black dress, black pom poms and shoes, and her scarf is a crimson red. Amu's hair now reaches to her mid back and the tips were black from the last time she had dyed her hair. Her golden eyes which once held a soft, child-like light to them are now dull and unfeeling. The teen continued her slow walk to the building, wishing she had never made that deal, but at the same time, thankful she had.

_**XxFlashbackxX**_

_Amu shifted uncomfortably, shifting the weight from her left leg to her right. You can't blame the girl for being uncomfortable though, anyone would be standing in front of Kazuomi, the head of Easter. The enemy. "I'm surprised you came Hinamori Amu." he said, elbows resting on his desk, hands clasped together and covering his mouth. The 13 year old girl straightened her stance, putting up her 'tough girl' façade._

"_Well what did you expect? You threatened me after all." she growled at the man. He merely chuckled and moved his hands away to pull out a drawer of his desk. After a few moments of him rummaging around, he pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen and slid it across the desk to Amu. _

"_Well, Hinamori-san, what do you say?" he asked. Amu glared at the paper in front of her. She knew what it was. She didn't want to sign it, but if she didn't... __**My family... and... Ikuto...**__ she thought. She snatched the pen off the table and signed the contract, skimming through it. After the paper was signed, Kazuomi took the paper and filed it away, then turned to look at Amu. "Welcome to Easter." he said smugly. Amu turned on her heel and left, her worried charas following behind her._

_The contract Amu signed freed Ikuto from Easter and protected her family as long as she obeyed anything and everything the company told her to do. Once Ikuto was free of his binds, he gathered the few things he had and left without a word. The lack of a goodbye saddened the pinkette and she went into a small fit of depression. Both she and her charas suffered from this, and from Easter now ruling their lives. Ran, Miki, Suu, and Dia gained their X's and Amu gained a new chara. It is a grey egg with little white crosses on it. This pattern though is somewhat difficult to see past the black film and white X that covers it. Now that Amu works for Easter, she's lost contact with most of the Guardians. She only keeps in touch with Rima, Nagi, and Utau. They're the only ones that know what has happened to her. _

_When Amu was told that she had to fill Utau's old place as singer to pull out X eggs to try and find the Embryo, she dyed her hair black. She figured that she might as well change her looks now that she is becoming a new person. She retained her punk/gothic lolita style and added a bit of make-up when told. She hates what has happened to her, but there is nothing she can do._

_**XxEnd FlashbackxX**_

Amu ground her teeth and clenched her hands into fists and walked into the building, getting hit by a blast of cool air, which was somewhat of a relief from the heat outside. The 18 year old made her way to the elevator and took it to the 4th floor of the building and made her way to her office. Once she was inside, she closed the door and walked over to her desk, sitting down in the leather rolling swivel chair behind it. She set her bag down on top of the desk and pulled out the little grey egg. Miki and Dia flew over to it and Dia put a hand on the egg. "She will be born soon." she said quietly. Amu nodded and set the egg down on the desk, propping it so it wouldn't fall or roll off. Dia stayed by the egg while Miki flew off to a different part of the room to draw. Suu sat down on top of the lamp on Amu's desk and Ran was sitting on the window sill behind Amu, staring out into the sky. The room was silent as Amu wrote her music.

**XxTokyo AirportxX**

Ikuto waited by the conveyor belt that would bring him his luggage boredly. He was tired. He needed to find a hotel and go to sleep. Once he was done with his cat nap, he'd go and see everyone he left behind. _It will probably be best to see Utau first before she kills me.. _he mused to himself, chuckling softly. _And then I'll go and see Amu..._ With that thought, his mind wandered to how she was doing, how much she'd grown in the 5 years he'd been gone. He was curious. He hoped she wasn't mad at him, she could be quite scary when she was angry, especially when that rage was directed towards him. His bags came around and he picked up them up. Once one duffel bag was secure around his body and the other in his hand, he walked out of the airport and into the busy streets of Tokyo. Ikuto has missed Tokyo. He enjoyed traveling around the world, he can't deny that, but this was his home. He had missed it.

As he walked he noticed a poster on a building. Normally, he would've walked by such a thing without so much as a glance, but this one stopped him. It had Amu on it. He stared at the poster, taking in the sight of her. She certainly had grown... but she didn't look happy. He noticed a little symbol in the corner of the poster. "Easter?" he mumbled. He looked back up at the picture of Amu. Why would she be in Easter? What had happened when he left? He wanted answers. He would have to take his nap later, he needed to find out what was going on.

**XxEaster CoxX**

Amu sat in a cushioned chair, a towel around her shoulders. The woman standing behind her was snipping away at her pink and black locks, cutting off the black tips and shortening her hair to her shoulders. "Would you like it to be dyed again Hinamori-san?" the woman asked, snipping off the last little bit of hair and completing the cut.

"Yes I would. Thank you Anna." Amu answered, giving a small smile to Anna. The woman smiled and gave a little nod and proceeded to dye the star's hair. After the process was complete, Amu stood up, thanked Anna once again, and then left the hair salon and made her way back up to her office. When she opened the door, she noticed all of her charas were gathered around the egg. "What is it?" she asked, closing the door and rushing over.

"The egg is even warmer... she will be born today... or at least, I think she should be." Dia said, stroking the egg softly. Amu reached for the egg, her charas immediately moving away, and she picked it up and held it. It was warm. Very warm. Amu stroked the egg with her thumb, a small frown working its way onto her face. Her new chara would be born with an X... she felt bad for the chara inside. Amu sighed and set the egg down.

"I'm going to get lunch." she said, then she left the room, her charas watching her with a sad look on their faces. Amu slipped on her sunglasses as she stepped out of the elevator and made her way to the front doors. As she approached them, someone walked in and the two bumped into each other. Amu looked up, ready to snap at the person and then continue on her way out, but the familiar midnight blue hair and matching eyes stopped her.

"Sorry." Ikuto said, not recognizing Amu due to the sunglasses and newly dyed hair, and started to walk past her.

"I-Ikuto?" Amu asked before she realized what she was doing. She was going to let him go... but the words just tumbled out of her mouth. Ikuto paused. He recognized that voice... somewhat. It was a bit different from the last time he had talked to her. Ikuto turned around to confirm his suspicions but she was gone, the front door slowly swinging closed.

"Amu?" he asked himself. _It sounded like her... If that was her..._ Ikuto went to the door and walked out and looked around. He didn't see her... _but she also wouldn't be easy to spot since her hair isn't pink anymore..._ Ikuto mused to himself. With that in mind, he set off to try and find the former pinkette, whom of which had a lot of questions to answer.

**XxAmuxX**

Amu slowed down from her sprint into a soft jog, to a walk, and finally to a complete stop, doubled over with her hands on her knees. She was panting, a few strands of hair sticking to her slightly sweaty forehead. _I wasn't expecting to see him... I thought he was gone for good._ she thought to herself. She hated how her heart had fluttered and almost skipped a beat when she saw him. She was supposed to have gotten over him. She was supposed to have let go of her feelings, so she could do her job without guilt or regrets. "Damn it..." she muttered, her breathing starting to even out. She stood up straight and took a look at her surroundings. She was near the park. _That_ park. The one Ikuto had showed her a long time ago. She touched the walls that surrounded the park gently, slowly walking towards the entrance. She remembered fighting to keep this park open. Why, she wasn't sure. She just felt the need to keep the park around. She needed it. It was her safe haven. Memories. Good memories. Times were different when she last came here. Ever since she had stopped the reconstruction, she never had the time to visit. Here she was though, at the entrance to her park. "My park... I like the sound of that." she mused to herself, a small smile on her face.

Amu walked into the park, her smile growing as she looked at all the rides and game booths. It was in perfect condition. Not a thing had changed since she last visited. The former pinkette walked through the park, looking for a certain switch to turn on all the rides. As she looked, she walked by the teacups. She stopped. Amu turned to the teacups and placed her hands atop the little fence that surrounded the ride. Amu moved around the fence, making her way to the entrance of the ride. Thoughts of finding the switch and turning the ride on left her mind as nostalgia took over. Her hands lightly brushed each teacup, and she made her way to a pink one. She giggled a bit at the memory of Ikuto barely able to fit in the small pink cup. Amu slide it, finding it a bit difficult, but she didn't have much trouble, not like the trouble Ikuto had with it. After sitting there for a few moments, Amu's stomach growled. That's when she remembered that she was supposed to be eating lunch. With that new thought in mind, Amu left the amusement park, a bit reluctantly, and left to go back into the city to go find some food.

**XxEaster CoxX**

With her stomach now full of delicious food, Amu was sitting at her desk and working on the song from earlier. She had been blocked for a while now. She had no real inspiration. Her music didn't have life in it. Amu scoffed a bit at her thoughts. _Probably because I no longer have a life._ Amu groaned and sat back in her chair, spinning around in circles, making herself dizzy in the process. When she felt a head rush starting to come on, the former pinkette stopped her spinning and sat still, waiting for the room to stop spinning. Once it was gone, Amu was once again bored. She leaned forward onto her desk, arms on her desk. She looked at the little grey egg on her desk and gave it a little poke. It was a bit colder than it had been that morning. Her egg did this often. It would be really warm, then it would cool down again. She wasn't sure what was going on with this chara. "Are you going to hatch or what?" she asked, as if the chara inside would answer. After a pause, Amu let out a huff and sat back in her chair and turned it so she could look out the window. She didn't know how long she had been staring out the window, but at some point, there was a knock on the door. "Come in..." she answered, still looking out the window. She listened as the door opened, and then closed with a soft click. There was a long pause of silence as Amu waited for her visitor to speak, thinking it was one of the workers at Easter, or her music manager. When nothing was said, Amu turned around, slightly irritated at the silence. "Well what do you want?" she snapped, but then she froze. Ikuto was there. Right in front of her desk. _I didn't even hear him walk towards me! Bastard really is like a cat..._ she thought to herself, eyes still wide from the shock of him being right there. She shook off the shock and glared at the man. "Well what do you want?" she asked.

"Why are you working for Easter?" he asked casually, almost as if he didn't really care. His eyes, however, spoke differently. The dark blue irises revealed concern and worry. Amu simply 'tch'd at him and turned to look away from him.

"A lot changes in 5 years." she grumbled. Suddenly she turned to look at the man still at the front of her desk. "Wait a minute how'd you find me? How do you even know it's me?" she asked, slamming her hands on the desk and getting in the 22 year old's face. Ikuto gave her a smile, one that she hated and adored at the same time.

"Even though I don't have Yoru anymore I can still see charas... for now at least. And you never lost that attitude of yours." he replied somewhat smugly.

"You... What happened to Yoru?" she asked.

"I found my true self." Amu stood there in shock. He had found his true self. She was slightly jealous of him. She had yet to find her true self... and she's already 18. She should have found herself by now... but Easter was delaying her discovery. Eventually, she wouldn't have her charas anymore and she would be completely lost then. No way to find her true self.

"You're lucky..." Amu whispered, sitting down in her chair. There was a pause. Ikuto took the time to look Amu over. She had grown in both good and bad ways. She had gotten taller, just now 8 inches shorter than he was. She also looked tired. Really tired. Tired and stressed. Like how he and Utau were when they worked for Easter all those years ago. He also noted an almost completely faded bruise on her arm, one that looked like a hand. A large hand, one of a man. His hands balled up into fists, but he relaxed them before Amu could notice.

"You never answered my question, Amu." he said. Amu looked at Ikuto for a few seconds and rolled her eyes.

"I did."

"Not a very good answer."

"Well what do you care anyway? You left! Without a single word! Do you know how upset Utau was? Do you know how upset I wa-" Amu cut herself off and looked down, scolding herself in her mind for letting something like that slip. _I'm not even supposed to be talking to him..._

"Oh, you missed me then?" Ikuto asked with a little smug grin. Amu glared at him.

"Get out." Amu growled. Ikuto stood back, a bit of shock evident on his face. "I said get out! I'm over it now and I don't care what you do anymore. Get out of my office." she said. Ikuto's face went void of emotion and he turned around and walked to the door. Amu sat down in her chair, just as she was about to get back to brainstorming, Ikuto decided to have the last word.

"I'm going to find out what happened Amu. Until I do, I won't be leaving Japan." he said, then he walked out of her office, closing the door quietly behind him. Amu glared at the door he had just walked through.

"Arrogant prick." she grumbled. However, this time she actually picked up her pen and started writing, her writer's block seemingly gone for the moment.

* * *

**So, what did you think? I think it's a MAJOR improvement. I may not update often (but I guess you guys are used to this) because of school and Tumblr. I'm going to try my best though. I'm trying to get back into this story for you guys. I REALLY wanna make this better than it was before. Especially since my writing has changed. Well, I hope you enjoyed. Please review and do my poll on FB and on my profile, here, on ff! Link is on my profile her on FF.**


	2. Everybody's Watching You Now

**Just a little note here, all of the songs that Amu will be singing will be from Girls Dead Monster (the band in **_**Angel Beats!**_**.) I will be posting the translated lyrics so you can understand the meaning and don't have to go scouring the internet to understand what she's singing. The song she sings in this chapter is **_**Crow Song**_**. Enjoy :3**

**PS: Oh my gosh you all, are just the best! I woke up yesterday and went to my email to find nothing but mail from fanfiction. You guys... wow haha. I love you all. Best readers ever :)**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Everybody's Watching You Now**

Amu stood in the sound studio, headphones on and standing in front of the microphone, waiting for the 'okay' to start her song. It had been about two days since Ikuto came back, and she had managed to finish a song for the first time in months. Close to a year to be honest. Utau called her yesterday about Ikuto coming home. They talked about their visits with the blue haired man, and their visits differed greatly. Utau was excited to see him and managed to tackle him to the ground. Amu was very annoyed with him, though secretly she was happy about him being back. Amu was brought back from her thoughts by her manager. "_Amu!_ You can start now." Himiko said.

"Oh, yeah okay. Sorry." she replied, noticing the look Himiko gave her. The woman had probably been trying to get her attention for a while. Amu took a deep breath, then she started to sing the new song.

_There's a wall of shutters behind me.  
My fingertips smell like steel.  
Move ahead! Strum those strings! It's crowded, at any rate.  
Find a way from here.  
You'll find what you're looking for.  
Let's rock out and play on.  
Gaze into the distance  
inside this city where you can't even take a breather._

_The starry sky is the best stage of them all._  
_The crows cry out, "Caw, caw" above me._  
_I'm always thinking of them. I wonder when they'll go to sleep._  
_Find a way – I will too,_  
_in a song for me to sing out._  
_Rock out and let it echo._  
_With the crows, I'll sing out._

_How long will I exist in this place?_  
_I feel like there were people who once said that._  
_If you're only going to say annoying things,_  
_let the jet black wings carry you away and just disappear._

_With all my power, I'm about to collapse._  
_My fingers are worn out and in pain,_  
_but, still, I'll perform. Tonight will be a big story._  
_Find a way from here._  
_You'll find what you're looking for._  
_Let's rock out and play on._  
_I'll take my luck and sing it out._

_No matter how long, I'll exist here_  
_within all the people who pass through._  
_On this stage enclosed in the darkness,_  
_I sing my poem of hope right now._  
_Even you must also be tired._  
_I want to send this to that back of yours -_  
_from within the pitch darkness,_  
_the song of light that gleams with hope..._  
_Yes, that song..._

During the song, Amu moved around a bit, closing her eyes and getting into it. At one point, she placed her hands on the headphones, and at other parts she motioned her hands in some kind of way, adding emphasis to the lyrics. When the song was over she backed away from the microphone. Himiko was smiling at the former pinkette. "Great job Amu. You can step out and listen to it, see if you want to change anything." Amu nodded and made her way out of the room and into the sound board room. She picked up the headphones from Himiko and listened closely. She smiled.

"I like it how it is." she said. Himiko nodded.

"Alright. We'll get started on the video tomorrow. First new single in a while." Himiko said with a smile. Amu nodded and walked out of the room. She walked down the hallway and took the elevator down to the ground floor. Once there, she walked to the front door and out into the street. The former pinkette pulled out her phone and texted one of her friends, Rima.

**To: Rima  
Hey, wanna go hang out or something? I'm pretty much off work for today & I really need to talk to you.**

**From: Rima  
Yeah I'm up for it. Lunch at that café?**

**To: Rima  
Sounds great. See you then! (:**

**From: Rima  
Alright :) See you there in 10**

Amu smiled a bit. She hadn't seen Rima in a few weeks. Easter had kept her busy, and she would really like to talk to the blonde about recent developments in both the company and the newly arrived Ikuto.

**XxCaféxX**

"So he's back now huh?" Rima asked, taking a sip of the sweet tea she had ordered. The two were sitting inside the little café at a two person table.

"Yes. He just waltzed right into my office and had the nerve to ask me why I worked for Easter. He's been gone for 5 god damn years! Why the hell does it matter to him?" Amu answered, really frustrated with the man. Whenever she got really upset over something, she'd start cussing. A little habit she had picked up over the years. Rima had to keep herself from giggling at the former pinkette.

"Well, seems like he still cares for you then." Rima replied, keeping no emotion on her face, which was a bit difficult to do with how her friend was fuming over something so insignificant (In Rima's mind anyway).

"If he really cared then he would've contacted me in some way." Amu grumbled, taking a sip of her soda. "Whatever, I don't care. He's a bastard and I fucking hate him." she added, crossing her arms over her chest. At that, Rima let out a little snicker, and Amu glared at the girl. Rima quickly composed herself, letting out a little cough to cover up her last giggle, and then got back down to business.

"So how are things at Easter?" she asked. Amu sat back in her seat, more calm now that the subject has been changed.

"They should get better now that I finally managed to finish that song." she said. Rima's eyes widened a bit.

"You finished a song?" she asked. Amu nodded in response. "That's good. I'm glad, and very happy for you." Rima said with a small smile.

"Thanks... They're planning a music video already. So I guess I'll be going to a concert soon as well..." Amu said, her head lowering a bit. Rima's smile faded. She had forgotten the consequences that came with finishing a song.

"Oh... I forgot about-"

"It's fine... will the Guardians be able to show up?" Rima nodded.

"I'll make sure everyone is there. But... are you sure Amu? If we stop you then you'll get-"

"I'd rather get hurt than have all those people lose their dream eggs Rima." Amu snapped, a determined look in her eyes. She would take all the beatings in the world if that meant that everyone could keep their dream eggs and their true selves. Rima nodded, a sad look on her face. She felt bad for Amu. She wished there was some way she could help her friend, but she didn't want to get involved like the former pinkette had to.

"I'm sorry Amu..." Rima whispered.

"It's alright." The waitress came by with the girls' food and left with a smile, completely oblivious to the serious and depressing mood hanging over the two friends. Rima and Amu looked down at their food, and began to eat. The rest of that time spent together was spent in silence.

**XxUtau's HousexX**

Ikuto laid in bed, looking up at the ceiling, shielding his eyes from the blinding light that came from outside. It was well past noon when he had woken up. Some things never changed about him. His mind was racing with thoughts of Amu. Questions that he wanted, no, _needed_ answers to. He knew that she knew how dangerous Easter was, so why join them? Why would she throw everything good that she had away like that and join such an evil organization? The 22 year old let out a small sigh and rolled out of bed. He went over to his duffle bag and changed out of his pajamas and into some day clothes, which consisted of a black T-shirt and black pants. His clothing style hadn't really changed either over these 5 years. He then left his room and walked down the hall to the kitchen/living room area where he saw his sister making lunch. "Well look who finally woke up." she said with a teasing smile. "How'd you sleep Iku?" she asked. He just simply gave a shrug and sat down at the little stand alone bar in the middle of the kitchen and let out a yawn. Utau rolled her eyes. "You're still like a cat..." she mumbled. Ikuto smiled a bit at that.

"Well my chara was a cat, wasn't he?" The blonde let out a little giggle.

"That's true." she said. "Want anything to eat, or not hungry yet?"

"Not hungry yet." Utau nodded and continued to make her lunch, which was a grilled cheese sandwich. She finished making her sandwich and then joined Ikuto at the bar, sitting down beside him and began to eat her food. A few moments of silence went by, the only sounds coming from Utau and her lunch. When the blonde was just about to take her last bite, her brother broke the silence. "Why does Amu work for Easter?" he asked. Utau let out a sigh and finished off her last bite of food.

"I already told you, I don't know anything about her situation Ikuto. Stop asking me." she replied. She was getting a bit frustrated with her brother. Ever since he came home and after they had finished catching up, he kept asking about Amu, as if Utau knew. She did know though, and maybe Ikuto could sense that she did, but she knew she wasn't allowed to talk to Ikuto about Amu's situation. Hell, even the people that _did_ know weren't supposed to. Amu just trusted them enough to not tell anyone or give any signs that they knew what was going on with her.

"Then why do I get the sense that you're lying?" he asked, as casually as ever. Utau let out a huff and turned to glare at him.

"Your senses are wrong Ikuto. Stop asking me, okay?" she snapped. He was taken a bit aback by her attitude. She had never snapped at him like that before. He hid the shock as quickly as it had come, and then he got off of the little bar stool.

"I'm going out." he said. Utau nodded, and watched as her door closed behind her brother. Once she was sure he was gone, she pulled out her phone and began texting.

**XxAmu's ApartmentxX**

Amu let out a breath of relief as she sunk into her couch, glad to finally be home. She pulled her black hair out of its ponytail, letting the dyed locks cascade down to her shoulders. She pulled her knees to her chest for a few moments, just sitting there. Then she reached over, grabbing the remote off of the coffee table and turned the TV on to some random anime show. She laid down on the couch, putting a pillow under her head and stared at the TV, not really watching it. She just had it on for background noise really. Suddenly, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket and she pulled it out.

**From: Utau  
Ikuto keeps asking about you. He just left. Prob gonna try to find you & ask questions. Jsyk.**

Amu let out a groan and replied.

**To: Utau  
Thnx. I'll keep an eye out.**

Amu closed her phone and placed an arm over her eyes. "Why can't he just leave me alone? I don't want him getting involved again..." she groaned. She felt a little hand on her cheek and removed her arm to see Suu. "What is it Suu?" The chara just stared at her bearer, not saying anything. After a few moments, the former blonde decided to say something.

"He still cares for you, you know." she said. Amu sighed, shifting her position so she was on her back.

"I wish he didn't. It would make things a lot easier." she mumbled. She continued to lay on the couch for a few moments, then she got up and went to her room. She grabbed a change of clothes and went to her bathroom and took a shower. She allowed herself to relax under the warm water, letting her mind wander on certain things. Most of her thoughts lingered on Ikuto. Why was he so determined to figure out her situation? Why did he care so much? Why did he leave without a word? All of these questions swam around in her mind. Eventually, the former pinkette became frustrated with herself, turned the water off, and stepped out to start drying off. "I need to get over it." she grumbled to herself. She didn't have time for these sort of things, and even if she did Easter would never allow it. Once she was done drying off, she slipped into her clothes, a pair of grey sweatpants and a forest green tank top. She blow dried her hair and pulled the locks up into a messy bun. Once she did all of that, she stepped out of the bathroom and went into the kitchen to snack a bit, trying to rid herself from thoughts of the blue haired man.

**XxEaster CoxX**

Amu let out an exhausted sigh and sat down on the floor of the studio, taking a bottle of icy water from one of the crew members. She had been working on this video for a few weeks now. 2 and ½ to be precise. Playing guitar and jumping around while playing under all those hot lights... Another worker handed the girl a towel, which she accepted greatfully and started to towel off the sweat that had collected on her face and neck. These past 2 weeks had been hell, shooting this video, and to top it off, she was visited by Ikuto a grand total of 8 times. Each time, he left with practically no information. She didn't understand why he kept coming to bother her. He wasn't going to get anything out of her, so why bother anymore? She really didn't understand the blue haired man. With a grunt, Amu stood up and took another gulp of water. "I'm sick of this shit..." she mumbled under her breath. She told the director of the video that she'd be stepping out for a few moments. He nodded and let her go outside. Once out there, Amu let a small smile spread across her lips as a cool breeze brushed by her. She stood out there for a few moments, taking a sip of her water every now and then. She didn't know how long she had been out there, but at some point she heard the door open.

"Amu-san, break time's over. The director wants to start shooting again. Amu nodded.

"Be right in." she replied. The assistant nodded, and she left Amu alone. The former pinkette stood outside for a few more seconds, then went back in to perform some more.

**XxLater That DayxX**

Finally, the video was shot. Now all they had to do was edit and it would be aired tomorrow night. Everyone said their goodbyes and Amu grabbed her jacket, tired from the day's work. She pulled out her phone, looking to see if anyone had texted or called her while she was performing. "1 missed call from... Mom?" Amu mumbled to herself. She hadn't heard from her family in a while, mostly because she had brushed them off, trying to protect them from Easter. The 18 year old hesitated a bit, then she listened to the voice mail that her mother had left.

"_I'm sure you're busy with work and everything, but I wanted to call on the off chance that you weren't doing anything. I miss you sweetie, and Daddy, Ami and I would like to see you for dinner this evening to catch up. Only if you're not busy though. I love you baby."_ Amu smiled a bit, saving the message and looking at the time. Only 6 pm... she should have time. Maybe not to eat, but she could at least visit. With a newfound determination, she set forth to her home. The thoughts of what actions doing this could cause were shoved back into the recesses of her mind. She wanted to spend one night with her family like she used to. The good old days. The days before anything bad happened to her.

**XxAmu's HousexX**

The former pinkette stood in front of the door, debating on whether or not she should have come. She swallowed her fears and rang the doorbell. She waited a few moments, then the door opened to reveal her mother, Midori. Amu gave the brunette a sheepish smile. "Hey Mom... hope I'm not too late for dinner." she said. Midori grinned and enveloped her daughter in a hug.

"Oh sweetie... you're just in time. Come on in." she said, letting go of the former pinkette and pulling her into the house. Once inside, Amu took her shoes off and walked further into the house. She followed her mother into the kitchen/dining room and smiled sheepishly at her father and sister. Both sat in shock at seeing her, then Ami broke out into a grin while her father got all dramatic.

"Amu-chan! What did you do to your hair?" Tsumugu 'cried', hugging his daughter tight. Ami's eyes were shinning with delight.

"Amu-nee-chan! It's been so long!" she said, practically squealing and hugging her sister tight as well. Amu laughed a bit, hugging them back.

"I missed you guys..." she whispered.

"We missed you too Amu." Midori said, joining in on the family hug. After all the greetings and hugs and kisses, the family sat down at the table and decided to catch up. Amu left out the unpleasant parts of working at Easter and the return of Ikuto, just to spare her father. She could always tell her mother later. The family shared laughs and memories of the good old times before their baby girl (or 'little sparrow' in Tsumugu's case) left the roost. Amu enjoyed herself that evening. She'd have to do this more often. She missed her family dearly. Over the 5 years, she began to understand what Utau and Ikuto had gone through. She pushed those thoughts aside for now, though. Today, she was going to be who she used to be. Happy, young, and care-free. Just a teenage girl, having a family dinner and being happy.

**XxTokyo CityxX**

Tonight was the night. Amu stood out in the overly populated Tokyo City, waiting to see her video air. She always felt a small rush watching it on the huge screens. She had her friends there with her as well; Utau, Rima and Nagihiko. Someone else was there too, but not standing with the group. He was just silently watching them, wondering what they were up to. He watched as all four joined hands in anticipation, then a screen lit up and music filled the air. It first showed a shot of a drumstick hitting the symbol, then it zoomed out to show the whole crew as the music kicked up. The ones on guitar and bass were jumping around, having a good old time as they strummed their instrument of choice. Then the first scene change and set of lines came up.

_There's a wall of shutters behind me.  
My fingertips smell like steel.  
Move ahead! Strum those strings! It's crowded, at any rate._

It showed Amu dressed in ripped, dark blue jeans and a loose black tank top on, her hair in a ponytail. Shutters slammed closed behind her, making the girl jump a bit, and she tried to open the shutters, but the steel bar across them wouldn't budge, and she looked around frantically. Then she started running. She ran out of a house that was collapsing into a crowd that was surrounding the house and trying to force her way out of it.

_Find a way from here.  
You'll find what you're looking for.  
Let's rock out and play on.  
Gaze into the distance  
inside this city where you can't even take a breather._

The footage jumped to the band once more, doing a close up of Amu singing and playing her guitar.

_The starry sky is the best stage of them all.  
The crows cry out, "Caw, caw" above me.  
I'm always thinking of them. I wonder when they'll go to sleep._

It showed a shot of Amu laying down in a field, staring out to the sky, singing the lyrics. Crows were scattered all around her, some flying above her, and one landing beside her and cocking its head to the side to get a better look at her. She then reached out to pet that crow, but before she could touch it, it flew away.

_Find a way – I will too,  
in a song for me to sing out.  
Rock out and let it echo.  
With the crows, I'll sing out._

Then it transitioned to Amu standing in the field, singing with crows flying all around her, little flashes of the scene with the band here and there. With the last line she sang, a crow was on her shoulder.

_How long will I exist in this place?  
I feel like there were people who once said that.  
If you're only going to say annoying things,  
let the jet black wings carry you away and just disappear._

The video changed to Amu running through the crowd again, trying to force her way out as the fire from the house crept closer and closer. Suddenly, she was stopped by someone and they got into an argument. Amu appeared to get fed up and pushed the guy out of her way and made her way out of the crowd, then continued to run away, a single crow following her. While the instrumental played it switched back between scenes of her running and of the entire group playing.

_With all my power, I'm about to collapse.  
My fingers are worn out and in pain,  
but, still, I'll perform. Tonight will be a big story._

Amu's running was slowing down, she was sweaty, some strands of hair sticking to her face and she was breathing heavily. She was standing in the middle of the field shown earlier, but it was empty save for a single tree with a crow in it.

_Find a way from here.  
You'll find what you're looking for.  
Let's rock out and play on.  
I'll take my luck and sing it out._

_No matter how long, I'll exist here_  
_within all the people who pass through._

It showed the band playing once more, the guitarist and bassist jumping around and having a good time while Amu sang and the drummer drummed away.

_On this stage enclosed in the darkness,  
I sing my poem of hope right now.  
Even you must also be tired.  
I want to send this to that back of yours -  
from within the pitch darkness,  
the song of light that gleams with hope...  
Yes, that song..._

The last scene was of Amu surrounded by darkness, and running once again. She was running to a light that just seemed to get farther and farther away, until the last two lines of the song played and she finally reached the light, and the screen showed nothing but white. Then the light faded, along with the music, to show a crow in a tree, but the crow's eyes were gold, and not red like the other's had been.

The four friends smiled at each other, and they congratulated the former pinkette on her video. The one that had been watching simply smiled. He watched Amu and the others for a few moments, then walked away, hands in his pockets. He'd congratulate her tomorrow. Through his entire walk home, he replayed the music video in his head, and by the time he entered his room, he had completely figured out the hidden meaning in the song. She was trapped, no way out of the hole she had dug herself in. She still had hope that maybe one day she would be free and could get away, but that freedom seemed close to never, but if she could become free soon, it would come with a price; a price she was not willing to pay.

* * *

**Well, there's the second chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm sad now because I can't say press that sexy button... it's just a box now... so maybe... TYPE IN THAT SEXY BOX! xD (excuse me, I'm being a dork...)**


	3. Everybody Waits For You Now

**I'm sooooooo sorry this chapter took so long. I was distracted by stuff… and then I got a major case of writer's block. I hope this update is enough for you guys to forgive me! Oh and also, WHY DO YOU KEEP LIKING **_**LOVE HURTS**_**?! IT'S SO BAD! STOP! DON'T READ THAT PIECE OF GARBAGE! SSTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPP! *flails***

**P.S. The outfit she's wearing for the concert is on my Polyvore page, just so you know. And the song is **_**Run With Wolves**_** today.**

**P.P.S. I noticed a lot of you like the idea of me doing Amulet Mermaid next. That's cool cause I like the idea myself, and I'm working on it every now and then haha. So I guess that's what I'll be doing next.. But I'll keep the poll up until this story is finished…. Yeah…**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Everybody Waits For You Now**

Amu stood in the dim office, arms at her sides, as she tried to not look as annoyed as she felt. "You may leave now, Hinamori." Kazuomi said, gesturing his hand to the door. Amu gave a curt nod, turned on her heel, and left the room. She walked down the halls, making her way to the elevator and then getting in. She needed to get out of this building before she exploded. Her fists were clenched and Miki floated next to her, silent as she usually was now a days.

"I'm sick of their shit." she grumbled to herself. Miki gave a short nod, then went back to drawing in her sketchbook. The elevator dinged and she got out, going to her office and gathering her things. She picked up the grey egg and put it in her little egg box. Suu and Dia joined the unhatched egg, leaving Miki and Ran to float along beside Amu as she put on her sunglasses and jacket and left her office, taking the elevator to the ground floor, clenching and unclenching her fists during the entire descent. She stepped out of the elevator once she reached her desired floor and then left the corporation. She walked down the streets of Tokyo, looking for a place to eat. She didn't care where. She just needed to find a place to take her mind off of what Kazuomi had talked to her about. She finally settled on fast food, getting a burger, fries, and a soda to go. She didn't want to sit down in the little restaurant area, instead she walked to a nearby park and settled down under a tree. Dia and Suu came out of the egg box and sat down on the grass with Miki and Ran, discussing Miki's recent drawing. Amu unwrapped her burger and started to eat it, letting her mind drift. Whenever her thoughts settled on Easter, she quickly shoved it back into the corners of her mind and tried to think of other things. She finished her burger and then started working on her medium serving of fries, drinking her soda every now and then. As she was taking a sip of her drink, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She flipped it open and checked the text she received.

**From: Utau  
So, you'll be doing a concert next weekend?**

Amu 'tch'ed at this and replied.

**To: Utau  
They already have it out? Damn... I thought they'd send out word tomorrow...**

**From: Utau  
That's Easter for you... sorry Amu ): We'll all try to be there at the concert.**

**To: Utau  
Thanks**

**From: Utau  
Np**

Amu sighed and ate her last fry, putting her trash in her bag and then standing up and throwing her trash away in the trash can. "Alright guys, we're going home now." Amu said to her charas. This time, Miki joined Dia and Suu in the egg holder and Ran sat down on Amu's shoulder. With all of her charas in tow, the former pinkette made her way back to her apartment.

**XxAmu's ApartmentxX**

Amu walked out of her bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in her usual home outfit; sweatpants, tank top, hair pulled up in a messy bun. She walked into her room and picked up the little grey egg that sat on her dresser in a little basket that held all of the chara eggs. She walked into her living room and sat down on the couch, holding the egg close as she reached for the remote and turned on the TV, volume low. It was just background noise, like always. Amu leaned back against the couch and looked over the grey egg in her hand, turning it this way and that, inspecting it for any cracks. She was hoping, yet dreading, the hatching of this egg. She wanted to see who was inside, but she was upset about it because the chara would be marked with an x. She felt bad for the little chara. it wouldn't act like its true self. With a small sigh, the former pinkette set the egg on the coffee table and left the living room, moving to the kitchen to start cooking her dinner. Just as she had pulled every piece of equipment she would need out, she heard her phone go off and fast walked into the living room and plucked the flip phone off of the couch, checking the caller ID quickly before answering it. "Hey Rima." she said casually.

"Hey Amu. Would it be cool if Nagihiko and I came over to eat dinner?" she asked. Amu gave a shrug, even though her blonde friend couldn't see it.

"Yeah that's fine with me." she replied. Then not even two seconds later she heard her doorbell ring. "Hang on Rima, someone's at my door." she said. Amu walked over to her door and opened it, revealing the very person she was on the phone with. She looked at Rima, slightly shocked, and closed her phone shut. There was a small pause of silence between them before the former pinkette spoke up. "How sure were you that I was going to let you join?" she asked. Rima just simply shrugged.

"Even if you hadn't I would've convinced you to let me in." she answered simply, as if the answer was obvious. Amu shook her head at her friend and opened the door more so she and her boyfriend could walk in. Amu closed the door behind the two and walked back into the kitchen.

"Would you like some help, Amu?" Nagi asked. Amu shrugged.

"Yeah I guess. Wouldn't mind a little help." And with that, the two got to work on cooking dinner while the smallest of the group turned the TV to a comedy channel and enjoyed herself completely. After the food was finished cooking, Amu and Nagi set up the table and then all three grabbed their portions and sat down, eating quietly for a few moments. The room was filled with the sounds of eating for several minutes, then Rima decided to speak up.

"I bought everyone tickets for your concert." she said, as casually as ever. Amu nodded in response.

"Good." she said. She may work for Easter and her job being to draw out X-eggs to get the embryo, but that doesn't mean she enjoys her job. She hates it, but there's nothing she can do about it now, now is there? "Thank you Rima." The blonde nodded and the three companions fell back into silence, save for the sounds of eating.

**XxConcertxX**

Amu sat in her dressing room, making sure her socks were pulled over her knees and adjusting the white bow on the side. She looked up from that and into the mirror, checking her make-up and hair. Once she was 100% sure she was dressed perfectly for the concert, she turned to her charas on her desk. Dia was standing beside the grey X egg that was to be another of Amu's possible would-be selfs. "She's still indecisive about coming out, Amu-chan." Dia told her bearer softly. Amu gave a small sigh at that. The former pinkette stroked the egg gently, then got up from her chair.

"I better get going." she said, then walked out of her dressing room.

The crowd was restless. It took the group of friends a while to push through the crowd to their seats. Once they were seated they only had to wait for Amu to come out on stage and start the show. Rima picked nervously at the lining of her shirt. She was always scared for Amu when she had these concerts and they stopped her from taking the dream eggs from people. She was never told what happened to Amu when she failed, and from how Amu's changed over the years.. she figured it was bad. Nagi noticed the blonde's distress and placed a hand over hers. She looked at him and he gave a small smile. "She'll be okay." he whispered to her. Rima gave a small nod, but she was still worried for her friend.

Utau was sitting elsewhere in the audience, in a little corner in the back. The guardians were in the middle of the audience. Utau, however, preferred to stay in the back. She didn't really know why, she just always preferred to stay in the back of the audience. People continued to pile into the auditorium, and someone took a seat next to Utau. She glanced over and was a bit shocked at who she saw. "Ikuto?"

"Yo." the 22 year old replied coolly, leaning back in his seat.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I want to see what they make her do." Ikuto answered simply, arms crossed, looking right at the stage. Utau couldn't help but frown at the thought of what they made her friend do. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"The Guardians and I always come to the concerts." Ikuto turned to her and raised an eyebrow. Before he could ask, his sister answered him. "You'll see when the show starts.." He stared at her a bit longer before nodding and turning back to look at the stage where the former pinkette would appear in just a few more moments. The lights started to dim down as the last of the audience sat down in their seats, and once they were all seated, the room went completely black. Faint footsteps could be heard and then there were a few seconds of silence, then the music started to play, and as it did, the lights slowly came back up.

_Every night, I endure the pain that visits me on top of the squeaking, creaking bed.  
Did I get something wrong? Thinking about this and that, I wallow in feelings of regret._

_"The way it is now, it's no good." I don't know who said that anymore._

_With the thought that all I can do now is live on alone, I gaze at the burning wasteland._  
_Like a wolf that endured its wounds, yeah, I don't want to disappear, not yet,_  
_Because if I did, it would've been better if I'd fallen._

_On Friday, as the weekend visits, I won't tidy up this noisy room._  
_Biting my nails that have grown a little long, I watch TV. At this point, everything starts to look good._  
_I bathed myself in alcohol from the head down. If I could get drunk like this, I'd keep on feeling good._

_I don't think of the way that I can't laugh like I used to as a sad thing._  
_Is this just something that everyone chooses, even though it hurts so much?_  
_In that case, it would've been better if I'd run away._

_It looks like I'm going to fail, just as I predicted._  
_I'll just throw away the bad thoughts when I spit them out!_

_With the thought that all I can do now is live on alone, I gaze at the burning wasteland._  
_Like a wolf that endured its wounds, yeah, I don't want to disappear, not yet._  
_I don't think of the way that I can't laugh like I did that day as a sad thing._  
_The wolf that runs through the wasteland still doesn't look back even now._  
_In that case, let's hurry ahead and run with wolves!_

As she sang the song, two diamonds appeared in her hair, and after that, heart eggs started to leave from the children in the crowd, turning into X eggs. Ikuto watched silently, since there wasn't really anything he could do with no chara. _So this is what they make her do… She took Utau's place in the company.. _he thought to himself. Utau stood up, and Ikuto looked up at her. She had character transformed into Seraphic Charm. He looked around and saw the Guardians standing as well, but that hadn't changed yet. "Angel Cradle." Utau said softly, then began to purify the X eggs and everyone in the audience fell asleep. As soon as they were asleep, the Guardians transformed as Amu finished the last note of the song.

"Tch, you guys sure are a pain." she grumbled into the microphone, taking off her guitar and setting it on the floor of the stage. "Dia."

"Yes, Amu-chan." The former pinkette transformed into the same outfit that Utau had when she transformed with Dia.

"Chara nari: Amulet Dull Jewel." She faced the Guardians and pointed a finger at them. "Dark Misguidance." she spoke calmly, and rather darkly as well. A wave of black mist rushed at them and managed to knock them down. Amu then looked at Utau and pointed her finger at her, and the mist rushed towards the blonde and Ikuto, whom of which Amu had no idea was there. The mist hit the siblings and knocked them to the ground as well. Amu then lowered her hand and got off the stage, walking towards the Guardians. There she saw Tadase trying to get up. He was glaring at her.

"Amu…"

"I think it's past your bedtime, little prince. Dull Silence." A grey fog settled over the blonde, and though he tried to fight it, he lost and fell asleep. The former pinkette then looked over to where Utau and Ikuto were. Both were getting up, using the chairs to help pick themselves up off of the ground. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blue haired man, but she quickly adjusted herself and started to walk over, however, she stopped in her tracks. Right in front of her was the Embryo. She stared at it, too shocked to move. This was it. This was her salvation. Right in front of her! As soon as she was able to move, she started to reach for it, slowly, trying not to scare it off, and despite her effort, the egg flew off. Amu ground her teeth and clenched her fists in frustration.

Utau frowned, now out of her transformation, and started to move to Amu.

"Amu.."

"Don't come near me." the former pinkette snapped. The blonde frowned more, but stayed away from her friend. Ikuto watched the scene curiously, quietly. Amu returned to normal and Dia was floating beside her bearer silently. She continued to glare at the spot where the glowing egg had been, wondering why it would tease her like that. Frustrating herself further with these thoughts, the former pinkette turned on her heel and left, clenching and unclenching her fists as she left. Utau watched her friend leave sadly, then once she was gone, the blonde went over to the Guardians to get them up. Ikuto followed his sister quietly and helped her, picking up Tadase and carrying the boy on his back. His thoughts were filled with the former pinkette. He wanted answers. His eyes met Utau's and she let out a small sigh. She would never hear the end of it now. She had no other choice than to tell him now.

Utau carried Yaya on her back since she had been hit with the Dull Silence as well, since the brunette was near Tadase, and she had passed out because of it. Rima, Nagi, and Kukai were up and able to walk. And with that, the group left the concert area before the audience started to stir.

* * *

**And there's that chapter. I'm soooooo sorry it's so late and so short! Anyway, poll is still up, a link to my Polyvore is on my page so you can look at outfits and such and yeah… Review and I'll try to get to the next chapter soon!**


End file.
